You might think it’s impossible to get sick of the Chipotle on West University Avenue, but if you’re thinking of switching it up and you’re not in the mood for another trip to Tijuana Flats or Relish, I know exactly where you should head next.
Just one block off W University Avenue on NW 18th Street lies a gold mine for new food. This group of restaurants near UF’s campus is inside Robert’s Stadium Club. It is reminiscent of a Chelsea Market-style food court, but on a Gainesville level – think much, much, much smaller than Chelsea Market.
There are currently four establishments there, but the space seems to be expanding, with a promising sign advertising the opening of a restaurant called Potato Hub coming soon.
A Trip Here Can Satisfy Everyone’s Cravings
Gyros, pho, açai, oh my! The restaurants in this little nook are so varied that they’re bound to satisfy everyone in the squad on those nights when nobody can agree on where to eat. The Good Berry Açai Bowls just had its Gainesville opening here this fall, but despite all of its success at the Tallahassee location, people aren’t stampeding this café yet.
Kevin, a Good Berry employee, said, “I hear people say a lot that they didn’t even know this place was here. I don’t know why because it’s pretty diverse and there are a lot of great options.” Aside from The Good Berry, other food you can snag here includes Mediterranean dishes from The Spot, a bowl of pho from Vietnamese Grille and a glass of bubble tea from Tea Moment.
Once you get your food from any of these locales, you can bring it outside of the shop to the indoor lobby where there is plenty of open seating. Bring your friends and take your pick! With all the yummy options, it might be harder to decide individually than if you had all chosen one place to eat.
High Quality Food at a Fair Price
Nobody is trying to break the bank in college, and these restaurants are great places to eat affordably. Marc is a regular at Vietnamese Grille and comes for their beef pho nearly every Monday after fencing practice. I could tell he felt strongly when he asserted, “There is no other place where you can get as much pho for so great a price. No other pho I’ve tried is as good for what it costs.” A medium bowl of beef pho is only $7.95.
Another perk of eating at these restaurants is that they are all “fast casual” — the college student’s kryptonite. Only mere minutes after I sat down was my veggie gyro from The Spot placed in front of me. I received a whole pita stuffed to the gills with mushrooms, peppers, zucchini and onions for less than $5. It might have taken me less time to devour it than it took waiting for it to come.
You Better Get Over There Fast!
Right now, this food hall isn’t as packed as the rest of Midtown, but I have a feeling it won’t be so quiet for long. Tea Moment just opened on September 10th and the owners have already watched it slowly become more popular. As I held my Blue Sky Tea (a customer favorite) up to their cat wall (pictured above), the woman who served me laughed and commented that everyone who comes in does the same thing.
Next time you’re looking for a bite to eat and don’t want to go too far from campus, try something new and head over to Robert’s Stadium Club. The food is tasty, fast and won’t make a huge dent in your wallet.